Motorised mobility device

Abstract

A motorised mobility device including: a wheeled base; a saddle seat; and an adjustable support extending between the wheeled base and the saddle seat. The adjustable support is adjustable to raise the saddle seat from a sitting position to a standing position

1 . A motorised mobility device comprising:
 a wheeled base;   a saddle seat; and   an adjustable support extending between the wheeled base and the saddle seat,   wherein the adjustable support is adjustable to raise the saddle seat from a sitting position to a standing position   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable support extends substantially vertically from the wheeled base. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the adjustable support is axially extendable between a retracted configuration in the sitting position to an extended configuration in the standing position. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable support is a hydraulic piston or pneumatic piston. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the hydraulic piston or pneumatic piston comprises a multi-stage telescoping piston cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wheeled base comprises two independently driven drive wheels. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the wheeled base comprises one or more sensors selected from one or more accelerometer, one or more gyroscope, one or more yaw or tilt sensor and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the saddle seat is fixed in two dimensions relative to the wheeled base. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the saddle seat comprises a central portion for engagement between a user thighs. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is detachable into two or more parts. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a motorised mobility device comprising providing a mobility device according to  claim 1  and adjusting the axial length of the adjustable support to raise the saddle seat from the sitting position to the standing position. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  comprising independently controlling the speed and/or direction of drive wheels provided on the wheeled base. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11  comprising monitoring the positional state of the wheeled base using one or more sensors selected from one or more accelerometer, one or more gyroscope, one or more yaw or tilt sensor and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising providing input data to a CPU from the sensor(s) and providing an output signal to control speed and/or direction of rotation of the drive wheels. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11  comprises adjusting the axial length of the adjustable support such that the saddle seat moves in a single (vertical) dimension. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable support comprises an electric drive. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein in the sitting position, in use, a user is seated on the saddle seat and in the standing position, in use, the user is seated on the saddle seat. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable support extends no further than between the wheeled base and the saddle seat. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower side of the saddle seat is mounted on the adjustable support, the lower side of the saddle seat being opposite to the side of the saddle seat for sitting on. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is an electric wheelchair for a mobility impaired user.